Typically when one reaches for the stars to achieve greatness, they do so metaphorically.

As an aerospace engineer at NASA’s Glenn Research Center, however, Wayne Wong, who grew up in Broadview Heights, was able to do so in a more literal sense.

His role in the development of an Advanced Stirling Converter, intended as a more efficient way of powering spacecraft, earned him the title of Asian-American Engineer of the Year.

The National Chinese Institute of Engineers USA presented him the award during a black-tie, red-carpet ceremony held in Dallas March 2. The event, now in its 12th year, drew 600 attendees and was held in conjunction with the National Engineers Week Foundation.

Wong was selected from a pool of 19 nominees, some of whom received other prestigious honors such as Lifetime Achievement and the Distinguished Science and Technology awards.

He said he felt honored to be recognized on such a grand stage and that he was impressed with how well the ceremony highlighted the Asian science and engineering community. He hopes younger generations might see such events and feel encouraged to pursue science and technology as career paths.

Wong has worked on the ASC for 10 years. The goal behind the device is to dramatically improve space radioisotope power systems, which utilize plutonium and solar energy to produce power.

A larger device using the same basic principles, upon which the ASC improves, is the Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator.

These are used on spacecraft intended for deep space missions, or missions that involve exploring craters or other areas where there is little or no sunlight, which a solar-powered craft needs in order to operate.

Such missions have included the Voyager and Cassini missions, which both sought to explore parts of the solar system that are far from Earth and the sun.

Wong estimates the ASC is up to four times more efficient than the ASRG, which means spacecraft would be able to carry out missions with less fuel (i.e., plutonium, which is in limited supply in the U.S.).

The engineer works closely with the Department of Energy, which is required to be responsible for any system that uses nuclear energy, and said he is starting to work with a bigger team on projects related to the DOE.

“We’re very excited about the possibility to use this in a mission and to fulfill a need that NASA has,” Wong said. “There’s certainly a very strong interest, particularly at the NASA headquarters, in this technology. I believe that once we demonstrate this technology on an initial mission, we could open the door to much more expensive Flagship missions.”

NASA missions are given names based on their cost. For instance, Discovery missions, on which the ASC is to be used, are less expensive than Flagship missions.

Born in Hong Kong, Wong came to the U.S. when he was very young and lived in Cleveland most of his life.

“I’m very proud of my heritage, but I’m also very proud of my hometown of Cleveland,” he said.

Wong said he likes to do heritage work in his non-working life, particularly in the “Asian Town” community.

“The Asian Town community is one of the few areas in Cleveland that has actually managed to prosper and grow, evidenced by many new restaurants and businesses that have opened up in recent years,” he said.

He has been involved with the planning of the Cleveland Asia Festival each of the past four years, and has seen it grow from 10,000 attendees to 42,000 during that time.

“The purpose of the festival is to highlight Asian Town community and celebrate the different cultures,” Wong said.

This year’s festival will be held May 18-19 along Payne Avenue near East 27th Street in Cleveland.

Each year, the festival draws more high-profile guests and entertainment.

“Two years ago, we brought in comedian Dat Phan, and last year we brought a dance troupe, ‘Instant Noodles,’ from the TV show ‘America’s Best Dance Crew,’ ” Wong said.

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